The Gulf oil spill--who's to blame, and what's it got to do with railroads?

The Gulf oil spill is the Republican Party's fault. The response is the Obama administration's responsibility--it remains to be seen whether that's their fault or credit.

The spill occurred due to inadequate backup equipment currently in use in other countries (such as a backup well), and the equipment used not being properly maintained--all in the service of higher profits. All this occurred on Bush's watch, as part of a systematic deregulation of for-profit enterprises, both by changing the rules and by starving the regulatory agencies of funds (and staffing their top levels with cronies, as political spoils). And it has come out that the federal agency charged with supervising oil rigs has been not just lax but corrupt as well.

Some of that corruption was going on during Obama's administration, but it was all a direct continuation of Bush's policies. A year is not enough to reregulate what Bush was undoing for eight years--and it's always easier to take something apart than to rebuild it.

I don't think Obama reacted quickly enough. He made the mistake of believing BP's lying assurances. Hoever, it is true that only the private oil industry currently has the gear and expertise needed to fix this. Still, the navy could have been mobilized to move needed gear to the disaster site and provide other logistical support--all to be billed to BP. That hasn't happened, partly due to BP fighting relinquishing any control over the process--but that should not be allowed to be an impediment now.

I was listening to some far right talkshow guys today (Levin and Hannity), and they tried to lay most of the blame at Obama's feet.

My bottom line is that whoever's fault it is (and I suspect there will be blame to go around), this demonstrates that:

1. Offshore drilling can be done safely IFF (Boolean logic for 'if and only if") we mandate the safeguards already in use elsewhere, monitor application of the regulations stringently, and give the Coast Guard the tools to deal with emergencies when companies fail--but especially have emergency plans in place that utilize military logistical support blended with private contractors for the onsite work.

2. In general, when deregulation lifts the boot heel of "big government" off big business's neck, big business promptly applies its boot heel to our neck.

3. It's long past time to put a substantial tax on petroleum-based fuels, used for developing alternate power sources.

For example, the biggest impediment to electric power for vehicles is short range of vehcles coupled with long recharge time required. This could be addressed by a system already developed by private industry that would require battery packs built to government-supplied specs (size and capacity). Then when you needed more power you'd pull into a "pack station" and a simple automated system would swap your pack for a freshly charged one. You'd be on your way quicker than if you'd needed a gas fill-up.

4. We need a government-supervised national rail system rebuild. We've let the national rail system go to seed, even for freight shipment. Moving goods by rail is vastly more fuel-efficient than using trucks, and it makes roads a lot safer and roadways less quickly degrated as well.

Private industry does not do what's best for the nation. Surprise. It does what's best for a given company and, with publicly held corporations, what's best for the company in that fiscal quarter, and, with most corporations, what's best for top management--not necessarily what's best for shareholders.

There's nothing wrong with any of this unless you make out free enterprise to be morally good. It's not morally evil, as socialists/communists claim. It's amoral. And in fact any publicly held company that did what's best for the country at the expense of profits would probably see a shareholders' revolt and the replacement of that company's management.

I advocate a middle course: regulated private enterprise coupled with government-run elements where private enterprise doesn't work best for the country.

A national rail system, even if it's less profitable in the short run, would be best for the country instead of over-reliance on trucks and busses. This isn't some loony pie in the sky proposal involving untested technology. It's all out there, available now. It just requires more government involvement than Republicans like.